Selecting mechanism



May 1,1928. 1,668,256

E. C. WALTER SELECTING MECHANISM Filed April 21. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet '1IIIIIIII Illlllllll 6, M ZZ w Mayl 1928.

E. C WALTER 17668256 SELECTING MECHANI SM Filed April 1, 1925 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Ink-mill! H II II III IHIIIIIHIIIIII II II II II II II Iu n H mm M IIIHIIIIIIIIHI lllllill llllllllllnm Illll IIII Patented May1, 1928.

UNITED STATESIPAT'ENT OFFICE.

EDWARD CLAXTON WALTER, OF ORANGE; NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE ELLIOTT-FISHER COMPANY, OF NEW" YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE.

SELECTING MECHANISM.

Application filed. April 21, 1925.

This invention relates to selecting mechanism forcalculating, machinesof that class in which each value to be added or subtracted in a given.denominational position, is selooted by means of key-set selectingmechanism which: determines the extent of the effective operation of. adenominational member operated. subsequent to the selection.

'The object of the invention is to produce a simple and compactselecting mechanism, which, while operative with the requisite accuracy,will permit comparatively narrow spacing of the aligned. series ofnumber wheels or denominational members.

In the accompanyingdrawings:

Figure 1 is an elevation of so much of the mechanism of a calculatingmachine as is necessary to illustrate the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation of a portion of the samesubjectmatter..

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view showing the relation of the selectorsand an intermediate gear.

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view showing the various relations of theyselectors and an intermediate gear, and

Figure 5 is a perspective view of thesubject matter shown in Figures 1and 2.

In said drawings 1 indicates the number 30 wheel shaft on which a numberwheel, in-

dex wheel, or denominational member 2 is mounted. It will, of course, beunderstood that in practice a series of these wheels are mounted on theshaft and are rotatable in opposite directions from 1 to 9 incrementsfor addition or subtraction; Also, it is usual to provide carryingmechanism whereby, when the limit of value of any denomination isreached, the Wheel of. next higher order will be advanced one incrementin one direction or the other accordingly as addition or subtraction isbeing performed.

Associated with the number wheel 2 is a gear 3, designed to be engagedand operated by an intermediate gear 4, carried by a shaft 5, and inturn operated by rotary toothed selectors 6 and 7, mounted on parallelshafts 8 and 9. The selector 6 is provided with four teeth orprojections 10, of diflerent lengths or terminating in different planes,while the selector 7 is equipped with five teeth 11, which are uniform.

The selectors 6 and 7 are splined or otherwise mounted on the shafts 8and 9, so that while rotatable with the shafts they are ca- Serial No.24,772.

Figure 4:. The selector 6' is shiftable to four different positions topresent from 1 to t teeth in the operative plane of the gear 4 to selectthe values 1 to 4. The selector 7 is movable to a single set position,which brings all five of its teeth into the operative plane of the gear4 to select the value of 5.

- Therefore, the selection of 1 to 5 is secured by moving one only ofthe selectors at a.

time.

It will be obvious that by the conjoint setting of the two selectors.the values from 6 to 9 may be secured. Tosecure the value of six, eachselector is moved a single step to the left. This brings the five teethof the selector 7, and one tooth of the selector 6 into the plane of thegear 4 and if the selector 6 is now moved successive steps to the left,the value selected will increase one unit for each step until the valueof nine has been selected.

The specific means whereby the shifting of the selectors to differentset positions is effected, constitutes no part of this invention andseveral forms of mechanism, whereby one or more selectors are shiftedlaterally by keys are well-known in the art. For instance, in theReissue Patent 13,841, to F. S. Baldwin is shown a well known form ofmechanism for shifting two selecting elements at the proper time in theproper direction and the proper distance by any one of several keys,each of which coacts with a pair of selecting bails connected to theselectors and swung by cams operated by the keys and inclined todetermine the extent of movement. The present invention is directed tothe particular relation of the selectors and the intermediate gear. Themechanism whereby these gears are moved at the proper time the properdistance is not material, but the use of the Baldwin mode of operatingthe selectors from the keys is contemplated and only requires thenecessary changes of the cam surfaces.

In order, however, to clarify the descrip tion, I have shown, in Figure1, bell crank levers 12 and 13, arranged to shift the selectors 6 and 7and operated from keys A,

mined by the number of selector teeth which having the values 1 to 9. iAs is Well underare arranged to operate the lever 13 andwith' it theselector 7 a single step. -Therefore,

upon the depression of anyone ofthe first five keys, a single selectorwill be moved to secure thevalues one to five; while upon the depressionof the keys six tonine, two selectors will be set to secure theselection of these values by their conjoint action.

When one or both of the selectors (Sand 7 have been set by thedepression of a key, the

shafts 8 and 9 are rotated in the same directlon' from a suitable sourceof power. as, for

instance, a crank or motor 14, operating a driving gear 15, meshing withgears 16 and 17, on the shafts 6 and 7. Obviously. when the shafts 8 and9 are rotated, the rotation of the selectors 6 and 7 will impart adegree of. rotary movement to the gear 4, deterare in the operativeplane of the gear. It is. accordingly, obvious that this movement willbe transmitted to the number wheel 2, to add or subtract the added valuein a manner well understood in the art'.

Theforegoing will sutiice to give a clear understanding of theinvention, but the right to change or modify the illustratedconstruction within the spirit of the invention is expressly reserved.

What I claim is 1. In a calculating machine, the combination with adenominational member, of an operating mechanism. therefor, including aplurality of selectors rotatable on different axes to operate thedenominational member and settable individually and conjoint'ly toselect the values '1 to 9. V

2. The combination with a denominational member, of operating mechanismtherefor, including a plurality of individually rotatable selectorsmounted, at one'side thereof, and movable to different set positions toselect different values by their individual and conjoint action. 1' Y 3.The eomblnatlon with a denominational member, of operating mechanismtherefor, including a. plurality of individually rotatable selectorsarranged to be set by movement in the same direction and servingindividually and conjointly to select a series of values;

l. The combination with a denominational member, of operating mechanismtherefor, including a plurality of'selectors rotatable on parallelaxes,'and laterally movable to set positions to select by theirindividual and conjoint action a series of values.

- 5; The combination with a denominational 6. The combination with adenominational member, of operating mechanism therefor, including aplurality of selectors rotatable upon parallel axes and shiftable in thesame lateral direction to set positions for the selection of a series ofvalues by their individual and conjoint action.

7. The combination with a denominational member, and a. gear foroperating the same, of parallel selector shafts, selectors carried bysaidshafts at one side of the gear, and shiftable in theflsame directionto set said selectors for the'operation of said gear, both individuallyand conjointly, and means for driving the selector shafts. V

8. The combination With a denominational member, of operating mechanismtherefor, including a plurality of selectors, one having a series'ofteeth and being movable to a single setposition, and the other having aseries of teeth and being movable to a: pinrality of set positions, thesetting movement of both selectors being in the same direction.

In testimony whereof, I affix my signature.

EDWARD C. WALTER.

